How Fast Do Go-Karts Go?

Drivers of all skill levels love go-karts for their exhilarating combination of speed and control. Competing with friends on the racetrack can be a great rush, and speed makes the experience all the better. When it comes to go-kart speed, various factors come into play. Kart designers understand these factors and build karts that make the most of their components and course conditions for a smooth, fast ride.

So, how fast are go-karts?

What Influences a Go-Kart’s Speed?

To determine the speed go-karts can achieve, it’s essential to consider the factors involved. Various design choices can impact a go-kart’s top speed. Some of the most influential go-kart speed-altering factors include:

• Engine size: When it comes to go-kart engines, more size means more power, but also more weight. Larger engines allow for a higher speed on straight track but often require more time and space to reach it.
• Chassis weight: The chassis supports all of a go-kart’s components and keeps it balanced through turns. A heavier chassis means a sturdier kart, but too much weight will slow it down.
• Driver weight: Even the driver’s weight can impact speed on some level, especially for lighter, less powerful karts. With a heavier driver, the kart will work harder to reach its top speeds.
• Engine type: Engines come in different sizes, with varying features that impact their weight, power output and, ultimately, speed. For example, gasoline-powered and electric karts have entirely different capabilities that give each engine certain advantages and disadvantages on different courses.

Gas-Powered Go-Kart Speeds

Gas-powered go-karts have internal combustion engines, much like normal vehicles. These karts fit into different groups based on the amount of power they generate, measured by cubic centimeters of displacement. A kart’s class describes the total amount of air sucked into the piston chambers as the pistons move up and down.

With more air in a piston’s chamber, the air-gasoline mixture will be more potent and produce a more powerful combustion in the engine. Go-karts with a higher cc rating mix more air with gasoline and operate at higher speeds. A 50 cc kart can travel up to 35 mph, whereas a 125 cc kart can reach 70 to 80 mph. At 250 cc, the fastest go-karts can travel up to 150 mph.

Electric Go-Kart Speeds

Electric go-karts are similar in design to gas-powered karts, using the same chassis and other similar components. The main differences are in the engine and power supply. Electric karts have larger engines and are, therefore, heavier than their gas-powered counterparts. As a result, electric karts have a slower top speed — around 50 mph.

While electric karts’ added engine and power supply weight make them heavier, they also produce more power in less time, resulting in faster acceleration. Therefore, electric karts seem faster on winding courses with fewer straightaways.

Contact Tampa Bay Grand Prix for Some High-Speed Go-Kart Racing Today

Depending on factors like engine type and weight, go-karts can travel anywhere from 35 to 150 mph. At Tampa Bay Grand Prix, we have a wide variety of electric and gas-powered karts and challenging tracks where you can test their limits. To find out for yourself which type of go-kart is faster, contact Tampa Bay Grand Prix and schedule a race today!